Soups are simple to prepare, don’t need a long time to cook and provide a nutritious, satisfying meal at any time. They are very versatile – depending on personal taste and the type of soup, they can be served either as they are, with chunky pieces of vegetables or other ingredients, or whizzed to a smooth, creamy consistency. They can also be prepared in advance and gently reheated to serve, or divided into portions and frozen for later. In fact, soups are so easy to prepare, it is often worth making more to put in the freezer, so that you always have a healthy meal to hand on those super-busy days or for when the cupboard is bare.
There is something so nourishing and feel-good about homemade soup that eating it always takes me back to my childhood, when we would very often have thick bean soups during the winter. We used to make them with dried pulses, which we always kept in our store cupboard, but these had to be soaked overnight and the cooking time was long. These days, we’re lucky to have such a vast range of ready-to-use canned beans and pulses available to us; even vegetables can be bought pre-chopped, so you can have ready-prepared ingredients on hand to create delicious soups in no time.
In Italy, soup is usually served as a primo (starter) instead of pasta. Depending on when it is served, it could also be a filling bean-and-pasta soup for lunch, or a light broth for the evening meal. I hope you will enjoy making the super-simple soups in this book, which can be eaten both as starter or main course.
Packed full of nutritious veggies, this soup is basically vitamins in a bowl! Based on the classic Italian minestrone, I have included borlotti beans and pastina (small pasta shapes). If you prefer, you could omit the pastina. In fact, you could omit any vegetable you don’t like or don’t have and replace with others. Most of these vegetables can be bought pre-washed and chopped, saving you time. For added flavour, you could serve with a dollop of Pesto Sauce (see here).
Cooking time: 35 minutes (not including veg prep)
Serves 4–6
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped
1 courgette (zucchini), cut into small chunks
1 large potato, peeled and cut into small chunks
280 g/10 oz Savoy cabbage, shredded
6 cherry tomatoes
a handful of fresh basil leaves
1.5 litres/52 fl oz/6½ cups vegetable stock (bouillon)
1 × 400-g/14-oz can of borlotti (cranberry) beans, drained
50 g/1¾ oz/⅓ cup frozen peas
75 g/2½ oz small pasta shells (pastina)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
grated Parmesan, to serve
Pesto sauce (see here), to serve (optional)
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan set over a medium–high heat. Add the onion and celery and sweat for a couple of minutes. Add the carrots, fennel, courgette, potato, cabbage, tomatoes and basil, and mix well. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then lower the heat and cook for 20 minutes. Add the borlotti beans, peas and pasta and continue to cook for about 6–8 minutes, until the pasta is cooked (check cooking times on the packet).
Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with grated Parmesan and a dollop of pesto, if desired.
This is one of my favourite soups – I love chickpeas and I adore chilli! The chilli gives a real kick to the chickpeas and chard. I use one whole fresh red chilli in this recipe, but you can adjust according to taste. You could omit it altogether if you prefer or, if cooking for people who don’t like spicy flavours, just add some dried chilli (hot red pepper) flakes over the top of individual portions at the end. If you can’t find Swiss chard, you can substitute spinach, but add this about 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Served with toasted bread, this makes a delicious, warming meal.
Cooking time: 25 minutes (not including veg prep)
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
½ celery stalk, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
180 g/6¼ oz/2 cups Swiss chard, stalk and leaves finely chopped
200 g/7 oz canned chopped tomatoes
1 × 400-g/14-oz can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) (240 g/8½ oz drained weight)
400 ml/14 fl oz/1¾ cups hot vegetable stock (bouillon)
To serve:
2–4 slices of country-style bread, such as Pugliese or a nice sourdough
1 garlic clove, peeled and left whole
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan set over a medium–high heat. Add the shallot, celery, garlic and chilli, and sweat for a couple of minutes. Stir in the Swiss chard and continue to sweat for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, drained chickpeas and vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then lower the heat to medium, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
Towards the end of the cooking time, grill (broil) or toast the slices of bread, rub the garlic clove all over the toasted surface of the bread, and drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil.
Divide the soup between individual bowls, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, and serve with the garlicky toasted bread.
The delicate flavour of bay leaves and the slight saltiness of the prosciutto combine perfectly in this feel-good soup. Extremely quick and easy to prepare, it makes a satisfying complete meal served with some good bread, or an equally delicious starter. I have not added any salt, as the prosciutto and stock season the soup perfectly, but do check and add to taste, if necessary. For extra flavour, add some roughly chopped Parmesan rind, which is often added to soups in Italy. If you fancy an extra kick, sprinkle some dried chilli (hot red pepper) flakes in at the end.
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
60 g/2¼ oz prosciutto (Parma ham), finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
700 ml/24 fl oz/3 cups hot vegetable stock (bouillon)
a piece of Parmesan rind (about 20 g/¾ oz), roughly chopped
1 × 400-g/14-oz can of cannellini beans (240 g/8½ oz drained weight)
120 g/4¼ oz spinach leaves
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan, to serve (optional)
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large heavy-based saucepan set over a high heat. Add the prosciutto and stir-fry for a couple of minutes, until almost crispy. Add the leek, carrot and bay leaves, then lower the heat to medium and sweat for about 4 minutes. Pour in the stock, add the Parmesan rind, and bring to the boil. Now, lower the heat, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time with a wooden spoon, to prevent the Parmesan rind from sticking to the pan. Add the drained cannellini beans and spinach, season with some black pepper, and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Serve with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan, if desired.
This is a delicious, creamy soup made using frozen broad (fava) beans. The subtle, smoky flavour of the pancetta really comes through and the crispy bits give a nice crunchiness to the dish. It is simply delicious at any time but would make a lovely starter for when you have guests over.
Cooking time: 25–30 minutes
Serves 4
20 g/¾ oz/1 generous tbsp butter
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus an extra splash for frying
150 g/5½ oz smoked pancetta, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
a handful of thyme leaves, plus a few to garnish
350 g/12 oz/2¾ cups frozen broad (fava) beans
1 large potato (about 200 g/7 oz), chopped into small cubes
1 litre/35 fl oz/4⅓ cups vegetable stock (bouillon)
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan set over a medium–high heat. Add a third of the pancetta, and all the onion, celery, garlic and thyme, and sweat for 5 minutes. Stir in the broad beans and potato, then pour in the stock, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for about 10–12 minutes, until the beans and potatoes are cooked. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
Meanwhile, add a splash of extra-virgin olive oil to a small frying pan (skillet) set over a medium heat. Add the remaining pancetta and stir-fry until nice and crispy. Set aside.
Transfer the slightly cooled soup to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Return it to the saucepan and gently reheat, if necessary. Divide among individual bowls, sprinkle with the crispy pancetta and garnish with thyme leaves to serve.
This simple mushroom soup delivers all the taste of wild mushrooms without the price tag! Reconstituted dried porcini are blended with vegetables and served with sautéed chestnut (cremini) mushrooms and pancetta. If you like, you could use a selection of wild fungi in season and, for vegetarians, omit the pancetta. Dried porcini are obtainable from all good Italian delis and larger supermarkets.
Cooking time: 25 minutes (including prep)
Serves 4
30 g/1 oz dried porcini
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
needles of 2 rosemary sprigs
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
750 ml/26 fl oz/3¼ cups vegetable stock (bouillon)
20 g/¾ oz/4 tsp butter
50 g/1¾ oz pancetta, cubed
180 g/6¼ oz chestnut (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
sea salt, to taste
Place the dried porcini in a bowl, pour over warm water to cover, and leave to soften while you prepare the vegetables.
Heat 3 tbsp of the olive oil in a large saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, half the rosemary and half the garlic, and sweat for about 3 minutes. Drain the porcini (reserving the soaking water), roughly chop, add to the pan and continue to sweat for 2 minutes. Add the porcini soaking liquid and vegetable stock and simmer for 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the butter and 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan (skillet) set over a medium heat. Add the pancetta, the remaining rosemary and garlic, and sweat for 1 minute. Add the chestnut mushrooms, seasoning with some salt, and sauté for about 5–6 minutes, until the mushrooms are nicely browned all over.
Put the vegetables and stock into a food processor or blender and blend to a smooth consistency. Divide between 4 soup bowls, top with the sautéed mushrooms and pancetta, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve.
Warming and comforting, this is my go-to soup during the autumn (fall) and winter, when squash is in season. You can use butternut or onion squash, or even pumpkin – it’s your choice. I like the addition of sweet potato too, for its excellent nutritional value. Rosemary and chilli are good partners to all types of squash and sweet potato, but I have left the chilli optional (although when I make it, I like to add more chilli and make it nice and spicy!). Sometimes, when I am making this for the family, I omit the chilli during cooking and just add dried chilli (hot red pepper) flakes at the end to my portion.
This soup is really simple to prepare and takes no time to cook. The only part that takes a little time is the peeling and chopping of the squash. You can do this in advance, if you wish, and store the chunks in the fridge. You can also buy ready-peeled chunks of squash and sweet potato in supermarkets now!
Cooking time: 25–30 minutes (not including veg prep)
Serves 4–6
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 rosemary sprigs, needles only
½ fresh red chilli (optional)
800 g/1 lb 12 oz squash, peeled and cut into chunks (weight after prep)
200 g/7 oz sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks (weight after prep)
1.2 litres/40 fl oz/5 cups hot vegetable stock (bouillon)
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, rosemary and chilli (if using) and sweat for about 4 minutes. Stir in the squash and sweet potato, then increase the heat and add the hot stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the squash and sweet potato are soft and cooked through. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
Transfer the slightly cooled soup to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Return the soup to the saucepan and gently reheat, if necessary. Divide between bowls and serve with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
This is a delicious, creamy soup, which goes really well with the crunchy olive pesto. Make sure you get good-quality green olives, such as the Gaeta or Nocellara varieties (these, however, don’t come ready-pitted, so you will have to do this yourself – you can easily do it while the soup is cooking). Quick and simple to prepare, this would make a lovely starter when you have guests or, of course, at any time.
Cooking time: 25 minutes (not including veg prep)
Serves 2–4
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
½ leek, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
½ small fennel bulb, finely chopped
leaves of 1 thyme sprig
1 × 400-g/14-oz can of black-eyed beans (peas), drained
600 ml/21 fl oz/generous 2½ cups vegetable stock (bouillon)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pesto:
125 g/4½ oz/1¼ cups stoned (pitted) green olives
a handful of parsley
1 garlic clove
1 tsp capers
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the shallot, leek, garlic, carrot, fennel and thyme, and sweat for about 4 minutes. Stir in the drained beans and cook for 1 minute to let the flavours infuse. Pour in the stock, increase the heat, and bring to the boil. Now reduce the heat, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
Meanwhile, make the pesto. Whiz all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, until well combined but retaining a crunchy texture. Set aside.
Transfer the slightly cooled soup to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Return it to the saucepan and gently reheat, if necessary. Divide between individual bowls and serve with a generous dollop of the olive pesto.
This speedy soup is perfect for any fish lover who doesn’t want to spend ages cleaning shellfish! Buy ready-peeled tiger prawns (jumbo shrimp) and ask your fishmonger to slice the squid and even chop the cod, if you’re pressed for time. You can even buy the veggies ready-chopped too! This dish of delicate seafood, cooked in tomatoes and served with toasted bread, makes a delicious main course.
Cooking time: 20 minutes (not including prep)
Serves 4
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
3 banana shallots, very finely chopped
2 celery stalks, very finely chopped
2 small carrots, very finely chopped
½ fresh red chilli, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
10 raw tiger prawns (jumbo shrimp)
200 g/7 oz squid, sliced into rings
200 g/7 oz cod, cut into small chunks
100 ml/3½ fl oz/7 tbsp white wine
600 g/1 lb 5 oz tomato passata (strained tomatoes)
sea salt, to taste
a handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
slices of toasted country-style bread, to serve
Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized, heavy-based saucepan set over a medium heat. Add the vegetables, chilli and bay leaves and sweat for about 2 minutes. Stir in the prawns and squid, and continue to cook for a further 3 minutes. Add the cod and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the white wine, increase the heat and cook off to evaporate. Carefully remove the cod chunks and set aside. Add the tomato passata, together with about 100 ml/3½ fl oz/7 tbsp of water and some salt to taste, lower the heat, then cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.
Return the cod to the pan and heat through for a final minute. Remove from the heat and serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and with the toasted bread on the side.
